Marriage of Convienience
by Sailor V-babe
Summary: Imperiex and Emerald Empress MARRIED? The Legion doesn't believe it either. Thus begins an undercover search to try and find out what they're really up to, and could it possibly have something to do with the honeymoon planet of Resortia? Parings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This story is based on a plot bunny that I adopted from 1000GreenSun. After a long time of consideration, I have finally written it! I also want to thank JudeDeluca, LadyGuardianofKeondes, Avearia and Stormgirl415. Without them to keep me on track, I probably wouldn't have gotten this first chapter written!

Parings: LL/SG, PG/TW, BB/DD, B5/SV, a pair of OCs and Emperiex (DUH!!!)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Legion of Superheroes. If I did, do you think everyone would be bemoaning the lack of a 3rd season? However, Tundra Lad and Time Lass are my own OCs. If you want to use, please ask.**

And now, for our story:

**Marriage of Convenience**

A Legion of Superheroes fanfic

by Sailor V-babe

**Act One: " . . more than mere romance . . "**

"I don't believe it! I just dont believe it!" Lightning Lad shouted, slamming his fist onto the console then gesturing at the screen in front of him. "Imperiex and the Emerald Empress . . . MARRIED?"

"It would appear so. Though I myself am as incredulous as you, I cannot deny the fact that it does appear on the screen, to use an old Earth colloquialism, in 'black and white,'" the green skinned teen next to him replied, his his face as blank as his voice.

"But why? Shouldn't he be . . . taking over galaxies or something?" Lightning Lad wondered, staring at the marriage announcement.

"Perhaps they were in love. It does happen, Lightning Lad," a young woman's voice said nearby. Lightning Lad and Brainiac 5 turned to see their fellow Legionnaire Saturn Girl approaching.

"But it doesn't make sense! A supervillain who just has to push a little harder to have the entire universe in his hands, deciding to take time off for love? Does Imperiex even have a heart?"

"Well, technically speaking . . ." Brainy began.

"Don't go on with that thought, Brainy!" Lightning Lad threatened. Brainy shrugged, turning his attention back to the screen in front of him.

"Fascinating. The announcement says that they will be honeymooning on Resortia."

"A lot of people spend their honeymoon on Resortia. It is known to be one of the most tranquil places in the galaxy," Saturn Girl replied.

"So I've heard," a feminine voice replied, the words touched gently by a British accent, "although I haven't been myself.. The records on my planet have a lot to say about Resortia and it's tranquility. However, I personally prefer the Eye of Orion as a vacation spot." The speaker, a petite girl clad in gold and red with her blonde hair elegantly coiffed into a flip-hairstyle, leaned lazily on a console beside them.

"I don't believe I will ever get used to your appearing out of nowhere, Time Lass," Brainiac 5 stated, not really even looking at the newcomer.

"Nice to see you too, Brainy," Time Lass replied, adjusting her wire-rimmed glasses. Brainy decided not to grace that sarcastic remark with an answer. Instead, he raised his eyes, and turned to face the group.

"This development requires careful consideration. I suggest that a meeting be called to determine the course of action necessesary." The others nodded and turned to leave, Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad by the door, Time Lass by her form of teleportation known as 'tessering.' Brainy stood went to the center of the room. Something about this . . . didn't feel right. He pursed his lips as he prepared things for a briefing.

One by one, the available Legionnaires entered. Lightning Lad, followed closely by Saturn Girl. Bouncing Boy well, _bounced_ in, while Timber Wolf walked in behind him, a bit quicker than normal, possibly due to Phantom Girl's death grip on his arm. Duo Damsel walked in, adjusting an earring, while Shrinking Violet entered at a much more sedate pace, eyes fixed on a data tablet in her hand. The air around one chair rippled and flexed, heralding the return of Time Lass, who settled into her chair as if her mode of transport was nothing out of the ordinary. Sun Boy, Star Boy and Dream Girl took their places as well. For the final time, the door opened, admitting the mysterious Tundra Lad, his face shadowed by the fur-lined hood on his parka. Behind him, exuding the command befitting a leader, was Cosmic Boy, who immediately took his seat at the head of the table.

"I suppose you've all heard what has happened," Brainiac 5 began. "To summarize, Emerald Empress and Imperiex have gotten married, and this . . . does not bode well for the universe. However, my twelfth-level intellect tells me that there is something more to this than mere romance."

"_Mere_ romance?" Phantom Girl teased, but quieted as Brainy shot her a fierce glare.

"It is public knowledge that they are honeymooning on the planet of Resortia. This could mean something, or it could be a trap. Either way, I highly doubt Imperiex would simply take time out of his World Domination Tour to settle down and raise a family. There must be something more. Therefore, I have come up with a plan. Several Legionnaires will infiltrate Resortia to try and find out more about their real plan."

"But, isn't Resortia limited to _married_ couples? That would pose a problem . . ." Bouncing Boy pointed out.

"True," Brainy said, "that's why you'll be undercover. Everyone assigned to this mission will have to create an identity for themselves and come up with a disguise. At least, those of you who can do so convincingly. Bouncing Boy, you and Tr- uh Duo Damsel will be required, as well as Saturn Girl and Lightning Lad . . ."

"Why is he going? I'm the Leader!" Cosmic Boy bellowed, standing up.

"Well, maybe Brainy knows that Saturn Girl likes me better!" Lighting Lad retorted, standing as well. Saturn Girl rubbed her head, once again getting a headache from their constant bickering.

"Lightning Lad was picked because his powers might be useful to us. Cosmic Boy, you are better suited to staying here and gathering information. We may need someone on the ship with good leadership qualities to keep things running on the planet," Brainac 5 explained, raising his voice so that he could be heard over the squabbling teens. Grudgingly, the two quieted down and returned to their seats. "Thank you. If I may continue? Timberwolf and Phantom Girl, I believe you would be helpful as well. Your powers especially, Phantom Girl, since you can get places others cannot. I will be going, as well as Shrinking Violet." Was is just his imagination, or did Violet blush slightly at that?

As Brainy opened his mouth to continue, Time Lass spoke up. "Um, I wanted to point out that Tundra Lad is quite versed in disguises and would be indeed useful . . ."

"I am well aware of this. However, we must have couples, and he would not have anyone to work with . . ." Brainy replied.

"I would be willing to work with Time Lass," Tundra Lad said, his russian accent curling gently around his words. "Her people are most durable and can withstand far lower temparatures than ourselves. She would be the logical choice in this matter."

Brainiac 5 regarded his statements for a minute, then nodded. "All right. It does make sense. Thus, we will have five teams working down on the surface of the planet. Those of you who have been assigned to this mission, I will need your cover stories in three hours. That will give me enough time to get them copied down and printed for your reference. That way no one blows anyone else's cover. Alright then? Meeting dismissed."

--L--

About an hour later, Tundra Lad heard a knock on his door. "Come in, if you must. You are not disturbing anything," he said, his speech slightly muffled due to the fact that his head was in a closet. The soft whoosh of hydraulic air anounced the entrance of his visitor.

"What in Omega's name are you doing, Illya?" Time Lass asked, seating herself on his bed.

"I see you decided to use the door. How nice of you."

"Don't be cute. I know how you don't like being disturbed, so I knocked. That way I didn't lose a limb or break a bone from your defense reactions," Time Lass replied. She had seen Illya in action several times, and knew of his fast, ruthless and ultimately painful reactions. He'd nearly done some damage to a few Legionnaires who had startled him before.

"To answer your question, I am preparing for our mission, as you should be."

"Already am," she replied, holding up a suitcase. Instead of her usual hairstyle, she had managed to coax the whole shoulder-length mass into some kind of sophisticated up-do. She wore a light yellow sundress, complete with white gloves, elegant high-heeled sandals and a large picturesque hat. All in all, she managed to look very grown up. "Isn't it girls who are supposed to take so long getting ready?"

"Most girls do not have to bother with a true _disguise_," he returned. "Now, I am finished." He straightened up and turned around. "From now on, I am no longer Illya Alexandar Kuznetsov. I am Mr. Michaelovitch Donyev, and you are my blushing bride, Marion." Time Lass was quite startled at the change in his appearance. Instead of the soft blonde hair she had come to love, it was covered by a dark brown wig, with a bushy mustasche plastered onto his upper lip. Dark rimmed glasses, the ones he normally wore only to read with, now perched solidly on his nose. His usual parka, heavy boots and golves was replaced by a rumpled, dark suit in a classic style, though his usual black turtleneck remained, sans his symbol of a pale blue snowflake.

"Marion Donyev. I like the sound of that." Time Lass said with a smile.

Illya handed her a data tablet. "Why don't you go over our cover story before I turn it in to Brainiac 5? Then I request that we stop at the kitchen. Suddenly, I am very hungry."

Time Lass took the tablet with an almost frown. "You're always hungry. You know, one of these days, your metablolism is going to catch up with you, and then where will you be?"

"As large as our rotund, bouncing friend and, most likely very happy." A glimmer of a rare smile flitted across his face, and Time Lass smiled back before returning her gaze to the tablet in her hand.

--L--

"Here are your cover stories and the information on your fellow Legionnaires," Brainiac 5 began, handing out data tablets to the assembled group. "Read them well, because after you arrive on Resortia, you cannot let your disguises slip in public. That could spell certain doom to us all. Each pair is assigned to a shuttlecraft, which is pre-set to fly to the planet's surface. The launches are randomly staggered, so that it will seem as sporadic as possible, as well as each flight pattern will make it appear that you are coming straight from your home planet. It is essential to be as careful as possible."

Each Legionnaire nodded, aware of the gravity of the situation. This was Imperiex and Emerald Empress that they were talking about, two of the most deadly villains that they had ever encountered. Failure would be . . . uncomfortable at best. Thus, everyone was in disguise. The simplest ones were just street clothes. Saturn Girl, Time Lass, Bouncing Boy, Phantom Girl and Shrinking Violet could easily pass for civilians out of costume. Others, like Timberwolf and Lightning Lad, had to find ways of covering up their peculiarities, such as the use of makeup to hide Lighning Lad's scar or a large coat, brimmed hat and gloves to hide Timberwolf's tell-tale appearance. Even Brainy had managed to rig up a holographic generator to change his skin tone to peach. To the casual observer, they did not appear to be teenaged superheroes. They looked like any group of young adults.

After reading the data tablets, each couple headed to their assigned shuttle to await departure. "Isn't this exciting?" Shrinking Violet asked, strapping herself in.

"I guess," Brainy replied, fiddling with something on the control panel.

"C'mon, Brainy. Stop being such a stiff and enjoy it. It's not every day that you get to go to Resortia!"

Brainy sighed. "I will do my best to convey enjoyment once on the planet. But until then, there is much to do. Our departure will be one of the last ones. It might be best for you to get some rest, Vi. You may need it."

Violet pouted, slightly put off that Brainy had once again retreated into himself. He seemed to do that a lot lately, especially around her. It was almost as if he were hiding from her. Anyway, she snuggled down into her seat, determined to get comfortable. Perhaps it was the warmth of the air around her, perhaps it was the purr of the shuttle's engine, but whatever the cause, Violet was soon asleep, lulled into a peaceful state by the quiet goings on around her. She didn't even realize that she had been sleeping until there was a beeping sound and she felt someone shaking her. She blinked dazedly and stared up into a slightly familar face, topped with blonde hair. "Wha . . ." she began, but Brainy shook his head.

"I didn't think you'd want to miss this." He gestured out towards the large window. Violet stared in awe at the planet in front of her. She must have slept through the take off, since the last thing she knew, the shuttle was still docked.

"Where are we?"

Brainy returned to his seat. "Welcome to Resortia," was all he said before manuvering the ship into orbit around the planet.

----

Thus ends Act One. If you liked, I would appreciate feedback and constructive criticism. I am not afraid to re-do my writing. Rule number 2 of being an author, "Write and re-write." However, I do not force reviews. They just make me feel loved. There are a few in-jokes in this chapter, and will be more in the future, but I do not expect you to get them unless you watch a lot of old 60's spy-type shows. ^_^ Anyway, thanx for taking the time to read it, and please return for the second chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well, here it is, chapter two of Marriage of Convenience. Back by popular demand! I took Stormgirl415's advice and listened to "mood music" as I typed. So now, my mood music consists of several forms of the Man from UNCLE theme, CaramellDansen, several selections from the Powerpuff Girls Soundtrack and David McCallum singing "Hava Nagila." Don't ask. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! This is for all of you who reviewed (and nagged me on the Forums. ^_^)

Stormy, I answered your question this chapter, about how Imperiex and Empress get on the planet. The Bloodless Butterfly, I changed the category, Lady P, Brainy's a robot since this is sometime during the 2nd season. And that answers Cleome45's question. If there are no more questions . . . let the story begin!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Time Lass and Tundra Lad, (and the embelishments to the plot. Even the origninal plot isn't mine! ^_^) **

**Act Two: " . . . double-o soul . . ."**

The young woman at the check in desk sighed. Already her day had seemed . . . . eternally long. So many honeymooning couples, not to mention the fact that Imperiex and the woman known as Emerald Empress had shown up. You can't really turn away someone with that much power and the insanity to use it. Well, you could try, but that would be akin to suicide, so she had not quarreled when they had shown up. The sound of someone clearing their throat brought her out of her thoughts.

"Welcome to Resortia, the world of happily ever after!" she began cheerfully, before she caught sight of the couple before her. The woman had long dark hair, not too unusual, but the man, tall and almost completely covered, stared at her from under a wide-brimmed had pulled low over his eyes. It was all she could do to keep from shuddering at the intensity of those golden eyes. "Do you have a reservation?"

The woman laughed. "Of course. Look under Londo. Brin and Tinya." The young woman at the desk nodded, and found it fairly quickly.

"All right, please sign in here," she said, gesturing to the book in front of her. The woman took the pen and wrote their names in the slot that the woman at the desk had pointed to. "Thank you!" she said, her cheerfulness feeling a bit forced. The couple nodded then walked off, the woman smiling, the man . . . . . well, who could tell if he was smiling? The woman behind the counter shook her head. It wasn't her place to criticize, but . . . they sure got some wierd couples through here. Oh well, they say love is blind. After having worked here for a few months, she wasn't about to question that.

--L--

Tinya sighed, brushing a hand through her long black hair. "Well, that's over, finally." Timberwolf beside her growled softly.

"It's not over until we're out of here.'

"I meant the trip and checking in," Tinya replied. "Now we can get to work." Taking a seat on one of the benches nearby, she pulled out the data tablet that she had stashed in her bags. "We're supposed to be spying on them, along with Chuck, Lornu and the TL's. Querl, Salu, Imra and Garth are going to look for whatever Imperiex is really after." She switched it off and slid it back into her bag. "Let's stash our stuff and go look for Imperiex!" She stood, taking her bags and took a step towards Brin, intending to link her arm with his. However, the hirstute teen began walking away. She frowned, and followed behind.

"Here we are," Brin said, taking a key card from his pocket and unlocking the door. He took a few steps inside, then paused and held the door for Tinya. She gave him a smile as she entered, then walked over to the bed and set her bags down on it. Brin followed suit, and turned back to the door. "Let's get going. Imperiex could . . ."

"No." Brin blinked at Tinya's response. He turned to see her standing with her pale arms crossed over her chest. "Part of our mission is to blend in. You're doing a horrible job, Brin."

"What do you mean . . .?" he asked, puzzled. Tinya pouted slightly, her 'injured princess' look.

"We're supposed to be a _married_ couple. Newlyweds to be exact. And you're acting like you can't stand the sight of me! You walk away, you don't even make an effort to hold my hand or anything!" She looked at him, her dark eyes sad. "Do you really hate me that much?" For added effect, she managed to get her lower lip to tremble.

Brin sighed. This was not his area of expertise. Why on earth had Brainy chosen him to escort her? Not to mention he never quite knew how to handle Phantom Girl. Something about her . . . unnerved him. So he pushed her away, and tried to keep his own distance from her. And somehow, it never worked. "I . . . don't hate you," he replied softly. Tinya smiled, and ran over, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. Brin's proximity alert went off, but he forced himself to relax. He had to make this look good, or he knew that not only would Brainy would have his head, he's probably never hear the end of it. So, he forced his muscles to relax and enjoy it.

--L--

"It's been an hour and a half, and still no sign of Imperiex," Illya grumbled from his poolside seat. He had decided against swimming along with Philipette, since his control still wasn't perfect, not to mention the fact that he really didn't like wearing a half ton of sunscreen. With the warm tropical feeling of the twin suns overhead, he'd be lobster pink in no time. And sunburns were one of his worst foes. Philipette leaned on the edge of the pool, brushing a wet strand out of her face.

"Relax, dear. It may not be a huge planet, but it's large enough for him to hide for a while. Besides, we have eight other people looking for him. We'll find him soon enough." Illya sighed, then readjusted his glasses. He returned his attention to the book in front of him.

"Well, well, well, you certainly meet all kinds here," a woman's voice said behind him.

"What does it matter? We were in love!" replied a familiar voice. Illya turned his head slightly, catching a glimpse of a dark haired woman. Tinya Wazzo, he thought.

"Well, that's all right, if you like tall, dark and handsome sheepdogs," the other woman sniped. A low growl came from Brin, and Illya closed his book, smelling trouble. With Timberwolf's temper, only problems could come from this. He placed the book on the table beside him, ready to spring into action if needed.

"Please, he's very sensitive about that . . ." Tinya pleaded, but the woman only laughed.

"I'd think that insults would only bounce off that fur coat!" a man's voice said, then laughed. Illya was all ready to jump up and defuse the situation when he felt something hit his lounge chair. The next thing he conciously knew, he was flying through the air and plunging right towards the middle of the pool.

"Michaelovitch!" Philipette screamed, watching him disappear underwater. Seconds later, she had dove under water, racing to the aid of her 'husband.' By the time she resurfaced with him, Brin had stormed off, dragging Tinya with him. Philipette dragged Illya over to the side of the pool, where he hung off the side, sputtering and coughing.

"Are you all right?" Philipette asked, her voice honestly concerned.

Illya coughed again, spewing a mouthful of pool water. "Absolutely peachy, if you ignore the fact that I wasn't expecting a dunking." He hoisted himself up and out, water from his clothing creating a large puddle around his feet. "I believe I will return to the room and change." Thankfully he noted, his wig and mustache hadn't come free during his dip. That would have been hard to explain. Rubbing his eyes to clear them and looking mournfully at his wet glasses, Illya headed back to his rooms.

--L--

Garth Ranzz breathed in the spice-sented air and smiled. The brochures for this place were right, it was practically paradise. Still, there was the fact that no one had yet seen Imperiex. Maybe he was just paranoid, but he so wanted a crack at that creep who had trashed their headquarters. _Crud, I'm sounding like Kell,_ he grumbled to himself. At that moment, he heard a slight beeping. He pulled out a slender pen, uncapped the top, placed the top on the other end, and extended the long antenna from the cap. "Yeah, what is it?" he asked.

"Have you found anything yet, Garth?" Brainy's voice asked. Garth shook his head, even though he knew that Brainy couldn't see it.

"Nope. No sign yet. It makes me edgy," Garth admitted. "I mean, we should have seen him or something."

"Not necessarily. He could be anywhere, including in his rooms. In that case, we may not see him. But I managed to get a glimpse at the sign-in sheet, and there was definitely an 'Imperiex' listed. So, he's here, and so is the Empress."

"Well, that's good to know," Imra replied, over her own communicator. "So, any news from the others?"

"Apparently Brin hit someone for calling him a sheepdog, and ended up dunking Illya. Needless to say, I don't believe they're talking to each other." Imra covered a smile at the thought of the meticulous, serious Russian getting dunked, while Garth burst out laughing.

"I would have seriously _paid_ to see that!" Garth laughed.

"Well, from what I could glean from Philipette and Tinya, it was indedd humorous," Brainy replied. "Not much from Lornu and Chuck. It seems their day has been fairly uneventful."

"Ours has too," Imra replied. "You know, I think we'll head to supper. Maybe we'll see them there."

"Good plan. I believe Salu and I will join you. I will inform the others to rondevous with us there. Ending communication." The line went silent and Garth and Imra put the communicator pens away.

"Well, shall we eat?" Garth asked, holding his arm out for Imra. She gave him a small smile, then placed her hand on his arm, and the two walked off, arm in arm.

--L--

"Well, this was a thouroughly unproductive day," Illya groaned, peeling off the mustache and wig in the privacy of the room he was sharing with Philipette. "No sign of Imperiex, not even a glimpse of the Eye of Ekron, I ended up taking an unscheduled swim and to top it all off . . ." he stifled a sneeze with his coat sleeve, "I believe I am catching a cold."

Time Lass patted his head gently. "You'll get over it. Besides, last time I checked, the common cold wasn't deadly."

"I never said it . . ." he sneezed again, "was . . ." He groaned. "I do not think I shall forgive that furball for this."

Philipette had disappeared behind a folding screen at the other end of the room. "Oh come on, Illusha-darling, what would you do if it were Napoleon who had knocked you in?"

Illya loosened his tie and removed it. "Probably would have tossed him in after I caught him." He smiled slightly at the thought of his womanizing friend, soaking wet and sputtering. He could tell that Philipette had found it funny as well, if her laughter was any judge. He pulled a pair of pale blue pajamas out his suitcase. "If you need me, I shall be on the couch in the living room." Before the door shut, Philipette could hear a loud sneeze, and a groan from her Russian friend.

The young Time Lady shook her head and continued changing into her pajamas, then climbed into the large bed, a book in her hand. Before she knew it, however, she had fallen asleep, the book in her hand.

----

And that's it for this time! I hope you enjoyed! If you enjoyed, tell me. I love your reviews! As a side note, the title for this chapter, "Double-o Soul" is from the 1965? Hulabaloo which was hosted by "Illya Kuryakin" (David McCallum) and he sang this song at the end. It's very funny, check it out on Youtube! I hope this chapter placated you Phantom Wolf people!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Well, I know you have been waiting, so here's chapter three! It's taken me forever to decide where I was going with this section, but I've finally gotten it finished! It's not a very long chapter, but it leaves off where I wanted it to. And with that note, I'll let you get on with the story!

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Legion, obviously. The only things I own are my characters!**

**Act 3: "Trouble comes down from the Sky"**

"You know, this really is the life," Duo Damsel said, relaxing on one of the lawn chairs near the pool. Early that morning, the girls had gotten together and decided they should spend the morning together: hanging out, hitting the spas and 'comparing notes' about their searches the day before. The guys, upon hearing this plan, had quietly made excuses and ducked away, leaving the girls to their plans. Now, all five girls were relaxed on lounge chairs on one of the many beaches.

"You said it," Phantom Girl agreed. "Wouldn't it be nice to live like this all the time?"

"Wouldn't that be kind of boring after a while?" Duo Damsel asked, lifting up her sunglasses to glance at the dark-haired girl.

"Yeah, you're probably right, but it would be fun for a while."

Violet smiled. "Ok, so who thought the way the guys took off this morning was hilarious?" All five laughed, remembering how embarrassed they had been. Violet took a sip from the glass of fruit juice on the table beside her chair before continuing. "It's strange. These guys can fight off insane villains, dangerous criminals AND the Legion of Super-Villains, but mention a 'girls day out' and they run like mad!"

"It scares them," Saturn girl explained, but Time Lass interrupted her before she could go any further.

"Yeah, all that _talking_ and _thinking!_" She giggled. "Have you noticed that guys barely talk when they're together? Or at least not deep converstations?" She turned her head towards Phantom Girl. "You know, I don't think Illya's going to forgive Timberwolf for yesterday. I guess he got a bit of a cold from that unexpected swim."

Phantom girl laughed out loud. "Well, it wasn't my idea for Timberwolf to shove that guy into Tundra Lad's chair! But you have to admit, it was a hilarious scene!" Time Lass did admit it was funny now, but when it had happened, she had been truely worried for her friend's safety.

"Well, Illya's been sneezing all day. I just hope this doesn't get in the way of our investigation," Time Lass replied.

"I just wish I'd been there to see it..." Violet said, lifting her glass to her lips. A devious smile crossed her face, and Time Lass put her hands on her hips, effectively creating a "I'm displeased" look and glared at the smaller girl. Vi laughed again, putting the glass down as her laugh turned into her characteristic snort. "So, anyone up for a swim?" she asked, standing up.

--L--

Lightning Lad pulled out his communicator and switched it on. "Open chanel 'D'," he said into the pen.

"Cosmic Boy here, and would you please stick to the proper ettiquite on that thing, Lightning Lad? Where on earth did you come up with that phrase?" Cosmic Boy's voice crackled over the communicator.

"Picked it up from some old spy film I saw a while ago and I just had to use it," Lightning Lad explained.

"Well, don't use it again," Cos replied. He paused before asking, "Is this about the mission or are you missuing your communicator?"

Lightning Lad sat down on a nearby rock. "It's about the mission, don't worry," he said. "We haven't been able to find anything yet. They're here, but we haven't seen them. It's a good thing this planet isn't any bigger or they'd be impossible to find."

Back on the ship Cosmic Boy rolled his eyes. "Well, find them! We need to know what's going on with these two. Somehow I'm positive that there's more to this than love."

Lightning Lad nodded and closed the connection. He had that same feeling, and it just wouldn't go away. Somehow, it seemed like this mission was going to end up being a dangerous one.

--L--

"You ought to do something about that cold," Time Lass said sternly as Illya sneezed yet again. He shook his head firmly.

"No. I'm already taking medicine for my headache, and I don't want to be so doped up that I can't think straight." Time Lass frowned.

"But you're going to be no use to us if you can't see straight because you're sneezing all the time!" She and Tundra Lad were out searching again, and his sneezes made her nervous. He was drawing far too much attention to themselves, when they couldn't afford to lose any anonymity that had. Tundra Lad clamped down on another sneeze, and glared at his partner before she could comment. However, as it worked out, Time Lass wasn't going to say anything at all. Instead, she pointed at a table at the far end of an outdoor dining area.

"I believe we've found them," she whispered.

--L--

Duo Damsel sighed as she pushed aside another branch. She and Bouncy were supposed to be scouting for any signs of Imperiex, but so far they had not encountered anything. It was frustrating, being so unable to complete a mission like this. And the waiting was killing her. "This is getting so boring," she grumbled.

"You could pretend you're on a secret jungle adventure..." Bouncy suggested.

"Bouncy, we _are_ on a secret mission, and you knew that wasn't what I meant. I meant this waiting is boring. No matter what we do, we can't find any leads!" She leaned against the trunk of a tall tree. "Maybe we're wasting our time..." she murmured.

Bouncy walked over next to her and leaned on the tree as well. "Do you really believe that?" he asked. Duo Damsel thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. Bouncy smiled. "Didn't think so. You know, a lot of times, it may seem like we're not getting anywhere, when actually..."

"We are," Duo Damsel finished. Bouncy blinked.

"You saw that movie too?" he asked. Duo Damsel swatted at him half-heartedly.

"You know I saw that movie; you made the whole Legion watch it with you!" Bouncy laughed.

"Well, maybe we shouldn't give up hope just yet. Let's keep looking, ok?" Duo Damsel smiled and hugged him before continuing on their search.

--L--

Time Lass and Tundra Lad crouched behind the low wall around where Imperiex and the Emerald Empress were seated. It was the perfect vantage point, and they wouldn't give themselves away from where they were at like they could at a booth. However, the biggest problem was that the two were talking in low voices, making it hard for the pair to listen in on the conversation.

Illya leaned in closer, as the two lowered their voices. Abruptly, he felt a horrible tickle deep inside his nose. _Oh no, if there's a God in Heaven, NO!_ he thought, wrinkling his nose. Time Lass noticed his distress and shook her head in a silent plea, and the blonde teen wrapped his hands around the lower part of his face, trying to hold it in, but despite his efforts, he couldn't completely muffle the sound.

Empress smiled slightly. "Don't look now, dearest, but I believe we have the Legion on our tails," she whispered furtively. Imperiex started to rise, but the green-haired woman placed her hand on his. "No, I'll handle this." She snapped the fingers of her left hand, and a small army of brainwashed waiters and maids began to converge on the two trapped teens.

They saw the danger coming almost instantly, and stood up, moving back-to-back. "Well, I guess the charade is over," Illya whispered. Time Lass nodded.

"I think we're in trouble."

" . . . Just when you think all the world's pink, it hits you right smack in the eye," her partner returned, his voice low.

"We're about to get caught, and you decide to quote ancient popular songs?" Philipette snapped, not intentionally trying to be mean, but the stess was too much.

"It just slipped out," Illya admitted. Philipette rolled her eyes. So much for her stoic, tough partner.

"Isn't this sweet? The two lovebirds are willing to die for each other," the poisonous voice of Emerald Empress came to them as she walked over, the Eye of Ekron floating above her.

"That is what LOVE does, or were you only worried about the physical?" Philipette spat. Her words obviously struck a nerve, as the Empress's face twisted in hate, and she took a few steps forwards and back-handed the young Time Lady across the face.

"They bore me already," the Empress said. She snapped her fingers and the brainwashed men and women began moving again.

"Well, if they _want _to fight . . ." Illya began, ripping off his wig and mustache. Disguarding the items, he aimed a high kick to the head at the nearest cronie, effectively dropping him in his tracks. Time Lass sprung into action as well, tessering behind the group to mount a suprise attack. She aimed several kicks with the heels of her boots at the legs of the foes in front of her, causing them to hop and trip. Half the group turned to chase after her, leaving the rest to face Illya's deadly fists. A few brainwashed waiters grabbed the young Russian, who in turn stomped on their feet and elbowed them in the stomach. The waiters staggered away, then rose to come after him again.

"They just don't stay down, do they?" Time Lass asked, racing from the group of maids she had knocked down only a moment ago.

The air around Illya began turning very cold, and Time Lass could have sworn that she saw his hair and clothing move in a non-existant wind. Had he been wearing his parka, she knew that by now, his hood would be up, obscuring his face. He held his hands out in front of him, a steady wave of cold wind blowing up a small snowstorm from his hands. Ice began forming around the bodies of the brainwashed waiters in front of him, and they slowed and finally stopped, covered in a layer of ice.

"My appologies," he said, off-handedly, though Time Lass could tell he was rather proud of himself. Otherwise, he would have definitely noticed the maid coming after him with a metal serving tray from one of the tables.

"ILLUSHA!" She screamed, about to tesser when her concentration was broken by two of the brainwashed maids grabbing her arms and a third hitting her on the top of her head. Illya turned, but only in time for the tray to hit his forehead instead of the back of his skull. With a loud groan, he collapsed to the ground in a semi-fetal position. Philipette shrieked again, but was cut short by a blow to the base of her neck. As her world grew dark she heard the Empress speaking.

" . . . No, don't kill them. Not yet. I don't want bodies letting anyone know what happened. Put them someplace where they won't be found . . . " The voice faded away as the young Time Lady lost conciousness.

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A/N: Well, that ends Act 3. If you're wondering, the title quote and the song quote are from the song "Trouble" written by David McCallum and sung by him and Nancy Sinatra in an episode of The Man from UNCLE. I just felt that it fit the chapter.... ^_^ And the movie that Bouncy refrences is "Labyrinth" starring David Bowie and Jennifer Conolly.


End file.
